You always know that the end of summer is upon us when the Leaving Cert results come out. Up to that point we are still in denial, promising ourselves that the heatwave is just around the corner and that that guy in New Zealand said that we are definitely to get an Indian summer (which by the way I have yet to experience!).

August 17^th is D-Day for the 2016 Leaving Cert class. Hopefully it will be a really positive day for everyone – students and their families alike. It is really important to celebrate your achievements but it is also vital to keep an eye on the calendar too.

There isn’t a whole lot of time available for students between the day of the Leaving Cert results and the CAO deadlines. So, it is really important to be aware of all of the cut off dates as some are for the CAO & others for theSEC (State Examinations Commission) . Get a big red biro and mark everything on your calendar and in your diary. Put reminders into your phone.

Leave nothing to chance.

Timelines For Leaving Cert & CAO 2016

The Leaving Cert results will be available in schools on Wednesday August 17^th and from 12 noon online at www.examinations.ie.  If you want to view any of your scripts / papers then you must return a completed request form to your school by Tuesday, August 23^rd. The viewing of marked papers will be in your school on Friday and Saturday the 2^nd and 3^rd of September. There is a fee per subject of €40 for Leaving Cert or €15.50 for Leaving Cert Applied.

In the meantime, the first round of college places will be issued by the CAO on Monday, August 22^nd. The CAO offers and points requirements will be available online at www.cao.ie from 6am. You have until 5.15pm on Monday, August 29^th to accept your place.

Round 2 CAO offers will be made on Thursday, September 1^st with the cut-off date for acceptance of these being 5.15pm on Wednesday, September 7^th. From then on, offers will be more ad-hoc, with places being offered on courses as they arise, usually up until mid-October.

After all of your hard work, it is really important to make that you easily meet all of the deadlines and read carefully all of the correspondence that you receive. Make sure that you check and double check everything.

Keep Perspective

It’s going to be an exciting time. A milestone in your life. So it is worth remembering a few things:

• Your exams results do not define you.
• Enjoy your success but be mindful that others may not be as happy as you are with their results. Treat them as you would like to be treated if you were in their shoes.
• Random selection at the cut off point for courses is both fair and unfair at the same time.
• Spare a thought for your parents – they are probably more anxious than you are!
• Remember to thank your teachers.
• If things didn’t go according to plan, consider all of your options.

But really I hope everything did go to plan for you and yours.

Here’s to the next chapter of your life – may it be absolutely wonderful.

For information on Study Success and all of our other programs, contact me on elaine@hummingbirdlearning.com or 087-2996054